Latest revision as of 21:05, 30 April 2007

Currently, the Kuroboxes all use a Fujitsu 29PL32TM-90PFTN 4MB Flash ROM chip. The Flash ROM houses vital information such as the Linux kernel for standard operation and emergency mode, as well as the code for booting into the kernel. The contents are layed out in different ways depending on which Kernel you are using. Flash ROM chip data can be updated, deleted, or reprogrammed through the Linux console or via the optional JTAG port.

Contents

Reprogramming the Flash ROM

Please be very careful when reprogramming your Flash ROM. Overwriting or erasing your Flash ROM can turn your Kurobox into a brick.

The interest in reprogramming the Flash comes mostly from the desire to run a custom kernel than the stock one that is packaged with the Kurobox. This is possible by overwriting the original bootcode with U-Boot.

Flash ROM Layouts

Stock 2.4.x Kernel

device

start

end

size

contents

/dev/fl0

0xFFF80000

0x080000

512 K

Empty

/dev/fl1

0xFFC00000

0x300000

3 MB

Linux/initrd

/dev/fl2

0xFFF00000

0x070000

448 K

bootcode.bin

/dev/fl3

0xFFF70000

0x010000

64K

HDD status (OKOKOK)

Patched 2.6.x Kernel v1

device

size

erasesize

name

mtd0:

00300000

00010000

"mtd_firmimg"

mtd1:

00070000

00010000

"mtd_bootcode"

mtd2:

00010000

00010000

"mtd_status"

mtd3:

00080000

00010000

"mtd_conf"

mtd4:

00400000

00010000

"mtd_allflash"

mtd5:

000f0000

00010000

"mtd_data"

Patched 2.6.x Kernel v2

device

size

erasesize

name

mtd0:

00400000

00010000

"mtd_allflash"

mtd1:

00300000

00010000

"mtd_firmimg"

mtd2:

00070000

00010000

"mtd_bootcode"

mtd3:

00010000

00010000

"mtd_status"

mtd4:

00080000

00010000

"mtd_conf"

Checking the layout (with kernel 2.6.x)

Simply type:

cat /proc/mtd

Additional Flash Chip?

There has been some discussion going on at the Kurobox forums, regarding the possibility of adding an additional Flash chip.